Post-Game Breakdown: Thomas unbeatable again as B’s blank Habs

Recap: After getting dominated in the shot
department to start the game, Andrew Ference got the B’s on
the board with a wrister from the blueline to put the Bruins up 1-0
over Carey Price and the Canadiens. Montreal, for the better part
of the night, continued to carry play. Were it not for Tim Thomas
and a few narrow misses, they likely would’ve run away with
one.

Unfortunately Boston’s netminder was damn-near superhuman,
stopping all 33 shots he faced to blank the Habs, giving the
B’s their ninth-straight victory.

Records: Boston 12-7-0, 24 points;
Montreal 9-9-3, 21 points

Key Play of the Game: With 1:39 left in
regulation, Rich Peverley was sent to the box for an egregious
cross-checking penalty. Thomas somehow kept the Canadiens at bay,
even when Price was pulled, stopping two quality chances in the
final minute and a half — including a tip-in attempt by Erik
Cole.

Connolly’s Commendations: First and
foremost, a tip of the cap must go to Thomas, as he earned his
second straight shutout. By all accounts, the one he got on
Saturday night was an absolute cakewalk against the Islanders. On
Monday, Thomas had to be a brick wall to keep his team ahead, as he
stopped more quality chances in the opening minutes than New York
had all game a few days back.

Boston’s PK came up big tonight. Usually prone to letting
the Habs’ power play dismantle them, the Bruins stopped all
four of Montreal’s man advantages.

Connolly’s Critiques: Though it
seems to be punishable by death to criticize him, Monday just
wasn’t a good night for No. 37 in Black and Gold. Patrice
Bergeron had an uncharacteristically poor showing at the dot (won
6-of-18 faceoffs) and was essentially a non-factor for most of the
contest.

Ditto for David Krejci, who played 15:55 but never did much to
get noticed. No. 46 had zero shots on goal, who 3-of-7 faceoffs,
and wasn’t credited with any hits. It’s now five games
and counting since Krejci earned his last point.

Notes: P.K. Subban suited up for his 100th
NHL game in the loss. The Bruins’ longest winning streak is
14 games, a record set way back during the 1929-30 season. Joe
Corvo was shaken up in the first period when he seemed to suffer a
leg injury, but the d-man returned in the same frame. Corvo,
however, finished the night with just 15:21 of TOI.

Next: The B’s will conclude their
three game road trip on Wednesday when they visit Buffalo to take
on the Sabres.